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Tutorial: Frayed Edge Bean Bag

2.22.2010

My nephew, Preston, had a raggy quilt that was his blankie. It is the first time I had ever seen purposefully frayed quilt edges. This is a cozy look and provides a fun texture to shabby chic sewing projects.

I made this small, heart shaped bean bag for my family recently. We like to play the Love Game whenever tensions run high or tempers flare in our house. To Play: Have the family sit on the floor in a circle. Give the beanbag to a member of the family who is "it". They toss the bag to another member and say something they love or appreciate about that person. Then that person is "it". Continue until every member of the family has had a turn as the tosser and receiver.

Here's how you make this project.

- 1 ft. square scrap of solid colored fabric

- 1 ft square scrap of printed fabric

- rice

- sharp scissors

- sewing machine

- washing machine & dryer

1. Print pattern on your home printer. Cut out pieces as instructed. I chose to cut a different fabric print for each side, but you can cut them both from the same printed fabric.

2. Right sides up, sew smallest heart onto printed fabric, centering it. Use at least a 1/4" seam.3. Right sides up, sew printed fabric onto largest heart, centering it. Use at least a 1/4" seam.4. Repeat with back side of project.5. With wrong sides together, sew front and back of project together, leaving a 1 inch hole for stuffing.

6. Using sharp scissors, cut small slits, 1/4 inch apart, all along exposed seams. Get as close as you can to the stitched line without clipping it.

7. Wash in washing machine with like colors. The dry in dryer on high heat with like colors. If the bag is not shabby enough. Make additional cuts in between each cut and wash and dry again until desired shabbiness is reached. (ummm...is shabbiness even a word?)8. Use a funnel (or make a paper cone) and fill bag with rice.9. Sew opening closed.

*Note: The more shaggy you want the seams the larger seam allowance you should leave.